Why does my dog bite me when I carry them? How can I stop it?

Thank you for posting more information. It sounds like Tiny needs some tough love. First, I do not recommend using commands like "No" or "Stop" because dogs don't understand those commands. What we need to do is to ignore behaviors that we don't want and to teach them behaviors that we want them to do instead. If Tiny is reacting to petting and carrying him around, I would first recommend having your veterinarian examine him to make sure that there isn't anything physical that is painful for him. If everything is normal physically, then I would recommend starting a training program. Make sure you use a positive reinforcement training program. What that means is that you only reward positive behaviors. It sounds like Tiny may be a handful to train, so I would strongly recommend working with a trainer. In the meantime, I would recommend ignoring any behavior that you do not want. So, if you go to pet Tiny and he tries to bite you, you should walk away and try again later. But be sure to work on training commands like "sit" with treat rewards, so Tiny has positive interactions as well. Good luck! I hope that was helpful and gives you some ideas. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Many dogs become excited when you pick up another dog, and will jump and nip at the dog in your arms - this is especially common with herding dogs, as they tend to be very motion-sensitive and love to nip :) I would recommend carrying treats in your pocket at all times. When you need to pick up your Chihuahua, toss a handful of treats on the ground first to briefly distract Winslow. Once he's finished, praise him for staying down (do this quickly, before he has a chance to jump!) and drop a few more treats on the ground for him. This helps to keep his attention directed down, rather than up at you and your other dog, and also rewards him for staying calm and keeping four feet on the floor. Over time, you can begin to use fewer and fewer treats as long as he is doing well.

Is he being aggressive or playful when he bites? Some dogs do not like to be carried. So, this could be normal for him. If you really want to be able to carry him in the future you have to be persistent now on handling and carrying him. I suggest you work with a professional trainer. Puppies are sensitive at this age and if you try to do this on your own you may imprint some very bad behavior that will be extremely difficult to correct later on. Hope this helps. Best wishes.

Most dogs feel uncomfortable when off the ground. This can lead to nipping or biting. The easiest solution is to not pick him up. If you must pick him up or have others pick him up, gradually acclimate him to this. Be sure to support his entire body and hold him for ever increasing periods of time. Praise and reward him as he progresses. If he wiggles or nips, put him down and wait until he settles down before trying again but don't force him.

Dogs need corrections at the time of the misdeed, not punishments. [Positive reinforcement](https://www.petcoach.co/article/rewards-are-necessary-when-training-dogs-and-puppies) is more successful than disciplining a pet. When you catch her misbehaving, use distraction to pause the behavior then redirect her attention to something else. The type and intensity of correction needs to be just enough to distract her from the unwanted behavior, no more or no less. You can use a toy, treat, clapping your hands or using a shake can (tin can with pennies or marbles inside it). If you correct her and she shakes, cowers or shows signs of any type of fear then your distraction method was too harsh. Praise and reward her when she responds. If she persists, cease all interaction until she settles down or responds positively. Be patient and be consistent. Her aggression could be a response to your frustration or the punishment. Keep [training](https://www.petcoach.co/article/basic-dog-puppy-training-rules) sessions short to maintain her attention. [Work with her](https://www.petcoach.co/article/5-ways-to-polish-your-dogs-training-skills) when she is not misbehaving and teach her obedience, tricks, get her out to play, chase the ball, go for long walks, whatever it takes to get her plenty of exercise and TIRED. Get her a [puzzle treat ball](https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/star-mark-bumper-body-puzzle-ball-dog-treat-dispenser) to keep her mind occupied when you can't directly supervise her. A dog that is physically and mentally occupied is less likely to get into trouble in the first place.

Situations like this are complicated and it's hard to give the best advice without being able to observe the behavior and walk you through things. Sometimes this can be true aggression. Sometimes this is related to Emma not wanting to be moved/handled. The latter can sometimes be treated with counter conditioning to provide a more positive experience that Emma will want to happen and thus will respond to. True canine aggression is a complex behavior as it can stem from dominance, possessiveness, fear, anxiety, resource guarding or a combination. Most people are not familiar with reading canine body language and training. Because of this, I recommend to work with a professional trainer. Researching on your own will also be helpful. Familiarizing yourself with canine body language and dog training can help you to recognize what your pet is trying to say. You can find many books written on the topic and there is a trainer named Victoria Stilwell who I think is particularly helpful. Best of luck.

This could be a natural herding behavior for her breed. When she does it I would tell her no and try to give her a toy instead. You can also use a water bottle and spray her while saying no when she does it to help teach her not to do that. These behaviors can be frustrating and difficult to "out train" since it is part of their breed instincts to nip like this. I hope this helps!